


My Hobbit WIPs

by Gozzer



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Erebor Reclaimed, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, BAMF Nori, Blood and Injury, Dragons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Erebor, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Good Parent Thranduil, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, Nature, Nori is a Little Shit, Orcs, Original Character(s), Other, POV Nori (Tolkien), Parent Thranduil, Protective Thorin, Slow Burn, Suicide Attempt, Thorin Is an Idiot, Thorin Oakenshield Lives, Thorin is a Softie, Thranduil Not Being An Asshole, Trees, Violence, War, Wargs (Tolkien), skin-changer Nori
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:20:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28890501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gozzer/pseuds/Gozzer
Summary: A bunch of Hobbit WIPs I might or might not come back to. Figured I should get them out of my docs.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins & Original Female Character(s), Bofur (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Dori & Nori & Ori (Tolkien), Dori & Nori (Tolkien), Elrond Peredhel & Original Female Character(s), Fíli & Kíli & Thorin Oakenshield, Fíli & Kíli (Tolkien), Fíli (Tolkien) & Original Female Character(s), Fíli (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Kíli (Tolkien) & Original Female Character(s), Nori & Thorin Oakenshield, Nori & Thranduil, Nori/Thorin Oakenshield, Thorin Oakenshield & Original Female Character(s), Thranduil (Tolkien) & Original Female Character(s), Thranduil (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Skin Changer AU

**Author's Note:**

> Many of these parts aren't going to been in chronological order. A lot of the chapters are going to skip around the story depending on what I wrote first. Sorry about that.

Winters on the road were harsh. Amari knew all about harsh weather and freezing snow after years of being in exile. It was only going to get worse now that she was pregnant. Her son was old enough to start set off on his own but he still stuck to her side after the dwarrow left them both. They had learned from Oin that she was only a month along, and he said she would be lucky if it survived to term. Which was probably for the best even as the thought tore her heart out. So few children had been born since Erebor fell and those that had had barely made it. They just weren't in a position to have children. 

It was a week after her miscarriage that brought a second charge into her care. The first snowfall of the year was upon them and Amari was hunkered down in her rickety tent with Dori sleeping soundly next to her. His black hair that matched her own was splayed out around his head and had her brushing a piece off his forehead. He was still so young. Barely seventy and already he had gone through so much. She sighed and went to fall back asleep when she heard a noise above the wind. A cry of sorts, of a young creature. With a breath she was getting up and lifting the cloth out of the entrance to look around. Only to find a small white creature stumbling into her lap. Brilliant green eyes blinked up at her and white scales dripped snow onto her skirt. Another soft cry left the creature as small wings spread out. 

"Well, now, what're ye?" She reached down a hand to brush a finger over the small head, feeling three small nubs growing. Little ears perked up at her voice and a mouth full of pointy teeth opened up. A rush of cold air hit her face. "Cold are we?" The tiny lizard-like creature blinked up at her, and try as she might she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge what it really was. A little squeak left the creature before something akin to magic happened in front of her eyes. The small scaled creature shifted around into a more dwarvish shape as all the scales disappeared in place of skin. Soon there was a little dwarf boy sitting in her lap looking up at her with those same brilliant green eyes and auburn hair on his head. 

"Ye really are somethin' special." Amari brushed a strand of hair out of the boy's eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. Green eyes fell closed and soon a soft snore escaped from him. "I think fate has blessed me with another son." She shuffled around to put the small boy next to Dori and laid on his other side. "Welcome to the family, Nori."

"Run!" Nori took off from behind the rock to follow Gandalf's order. They had been running for sometime and he was ready to be done with the orc pack on their tail. He pulled his younger brother along when Ori started to slow. This was going to be the death of them. Long before they even got close to reclaiming Erebor. The pack was closing in and there wasn't quite a winning chance, not with a hobbit and the wizard now missing. Nori held his weapon high and ushered Ori more towards Dori just in case. 

"Grab the beast first, we'll get Oakenshield next." While the words were in a mixture of rough common and black speech, Nori was close enough to the orc that said it for him to pick out most of it. He had learned quite a few different words in other languages on his travels, black speech being low on the list. It so happened that he was close enough to see said orc pointing at him. Which made entirely no sense but Nori couldn't quite let it slide. There were just certains he learned that couldn't be ignored or pushed off, and he was curious almost to a fault according to Dori. 

It did slip from his mind for a time as they walked along the hidden pathway. He looked out over Rivendell but didn't have much thought to give on it. It was a nice enough looking place. Even the dinner with the elves wasn't bad but their taste in music made it feel like a funeral. The sky had changed to night by the time Nori let himself think back on what he had heard. There were quite a few explanations for it and none of them were exactly pleasant. He walked along the hallway while muttering the words to try and make sense of them in every way he could. In a pass by the balcony holding the company he caught Dori's attention. His older brother caught his arm with a serious look on his face; worse than usual anyway. 

"What're you going on about?" Dori asked, pushing him a bit away from the others. "What beast?"

"Just something one of those orcs said, it's nothin'." Nori went walk away when Dori's frown deepened and something almost like fear sparked in his eyes. "What do ya know?" It was clear his brother knew something. 

"Not here." Dori looked over his shoulder at the others then back to Nori. "Find Gandalf. I'll meet you with Ori down in the gardens."

Now normally Nori wouldn't think twice about ignoring his brother but the urgency in Dori's voice only had him nodding. Obviously something had happened that spooked him. So off Nori went in search of the wizard. It was surprisingly easy to find Gandalf coming out of the library and convince him to go to the gardens. One mention of Dori and Ori had a deep frown settling on the old man's face. When they got to the gardens Dori was already waiting with a confused and worried Ori. 

"What're we all here for?" Nori asked the second he got close enough. He was doing just fine in his own thinking. Dori didn't answer straight away and shifted his gaze from Nori to Ori then Gandalf and back. 

"Tell Gandalf what you heard from that orc," Dori said. Nori narrowed his eyes at his brother at the order but repeated the words he had been going over for a couple hours now. That same frown was on Gandalf's face along with a spike of worry. 

"It would appear more than Thorin is being hunted." Gandalf muttered to himself. "I think it is fair to assume that you haven't said anything?" The question was aimed at Dori. 

"No, I haven't, Mister Gandalf. Though it's time, isn't it?" A resigned fear was on Dori's face. Nori shared a confused look with his other brother, Ori didn't know what was going on either. There was a nod from Gandalf to answer Dori's question. "This is going to be hard to hear, and I want to apologize beforehand for that." Something was most definitely wrong here, Dori never apologized to him. "Nori, you're not a dwarf." Before any other words could leave his brother's mouth Nori was laughing. 

"Ya've got to have a better joke than that. I'm not a child anymore, Dori." That same line had been used time and time again when he first started stealing. 

"I'm not joking." The serious tone of Dori's voice had him sobering a bit. This wasn't quite as funny anymore. He looked over at Ori to find the same confused expression as before. "Amad found you in a snowstorm a hundred years ago, you were barely old enough to talk. Not that you could until we taught you." Nori couldn't believe what he was hearing. It the most idiotic thing he had ever heard; found in a snowstorm, as if. "We don't know where you came from but you weren't you, as you are now. You…you." Dori stopped to gather his thoughts and for the first time, Nori let him. "It wasn't a dwarfling that came to Amad, it was a dragon."

"No." Nori cut through the silence that had fallen. "I already told ya ya'd have to try harder to trick me." The very thought of it was ridiculous. Him, a dragon? 

"I'm afraid it's no trick, Master Nori." He looked up at Gandalf with a glare. "There's good reason to believe that you're a skin changer."

"Alright, fine." Nori tossed his hands up. "Say this is true, why keep it from me, and Ori, until now?"

"Because now you, too, are being hunted. And I'm afraid that whatever those orcs have planned for Thorin is not going to compare to that of yourself," Gandalf said. 

|||

Fire raged over the dry grass and had Nori cringing away from it. He had never enjoyed fires, not on this large of a scale. It made his skin itch and the urge to run build up until he almost took off from the orange flames. But he couldn't this time. Azog had found them and the company was hanging over the edge of a cliff at his mercy. Nori was probably the closest to solid ground and so he was forced to watch Thorin run out into the fire. That dwarf was going to get himself killed. It was nearly panic inducing when Nori finally worked up his courage to go out after the King; he was the closest. With naught but his daggers, Nori jumped through the flames. Just in time dive in front of the pale orc and his warg. Rough black speech left the abomination's mouth that Nori could only pick out a few words, and nothing about it was good. 

"I'd suggest speaking in Common for the rest of us." Nori shot his arm out in a quick movement to slash a blade over the muzzle of the warg. 

"Nori, what in Mahal's name are you doing?" Thorin grabbed his shoulder to pull him back from the orc. Every single orc and warg had stopped moving at Azog's words but none of the company knew why. "Get back, you fool."

"In all fairness, yer highness." The mockery of the title didn't get him the same glare as it usually would. "It's probably best ya stay where ya are. Azog is here to kill ye specifically." The hand on his shoulder tightened its grip but Nori didn't move his glare off the orc and warg in front of him. There was movement next to them that had Thorin tensing at his back. 

"Get the collar." The black speech had Nori flicking his gaze to the side. There were times when he wished he didn't know the terrible language but this wasn't one of them. 

"Ya'd do well to keep that to yerself." Nori spied the thick metal collar attached to a chain in the hands of one of the orcs. In his momentary distraction Azog ushered his warg forward. Sharp teeth caught Nori's arm but earned a dagger straight through the nose. The warg snarled and in a quick move, leaped to the side. Nori was jerked out from in front of Thorin and into the waiting hands of the orcs. 

"Nori!" Fingers curled into his hair and ripped his head back far enough to fit the collar around his throat. Nori slashed at what was nearest to him and hit enough right points to be let go of. He rolled out of the orcs just in time to see Thorin get tossed to the side by a different warg. There was a battle cry from behind him and soon the others of the company were joining him on the fiery battlefield. They came to his side and he ignored the stinging in his arm to join them in the fight. 

"Get the beast!" The orc shout was followed by Nori being jerked backwards. Two of the vile creatures had a hold of the chain attached to the collar around his throat. He slashed out at them only to get kicked in the face. The daggers in his hands were forced from his grip and the orcs continued to pull him away from the rest of the fight. Even as he struggled against them and shouted his own curses, they weren't letting him go again. 

"Don't let them take him!" Someone else was shouting but Nori couldn't tell who it was. It almost sounded like Gandalf but that couldn't be. The orcs pulling him along snarled to each other then another boot was being brought down on his face. Nori caught a glimpse of large shadows in the sky and another cry of his name before darkness overtook him. 

|||

When the eagles let them off onto a giant rock Dori immediately looked around for his other brother. Ori was by his side looking for Nori as well. But through all of everyone else Nori's distinctive hair wasn't to be spotted. Horror and fear washed over both brothers and brought them to Gandalf, who was finishing up with Thorin. The old wizard looked out towards the lightening sky with a sigh before turning to face the Ri brothers. It had been last minute but he had caught a glimpse of Nori being dragged away from the fight. 

"They have him, don't they?" Ori asked before Dori could work himself up to doing it. The words brought a quiet over the company as they all turned to Gandalf for an answer. Thorin's first words asking about the thief hadn't been answered by anyone and Ori's question was starting to paint a disturbing picture for them all. 

"I'm afraid so." Gandalf finally turned away from the horizon to face the company watching him. "There is very little chance we'll see Nori again. And if we do, he will not be the same."

"This is my fault," Dori mumbled. It was almost too quiet for the company to hear. "I should've made him stay in Rivendell."

"There's no way ye could convince him of that, Dori." Bofur stepped up to put a hand on the older dwarf's shoulder. Everyone in the company had lost family before, so they knew the pain, but very few of them knew what it was like to lose a sibling. In fact out of all of the gathered company only Thorin understood the feeling. The King still felt the loss of his brother vividly even after all these years. He knew it would be hard in the beginning but eventually Dori and Ori would be able to move on with their lives. They just didn't have the time to grieve sadly. An orc pack was still chasing them. 

"Losing Nori is a heavy toll, and you have my deepest condolences, but we cannot stay here." Thorin stepped up to the brothers and ignored the ache starting in his chest for the lost thief. He clasped them both on the shoulder and dipped his head to touch foreheads with each of them. Nori was their brother and his loss was going to felt through all of the company; possibly hitting deeper in a few of them, including Thorin himself. It had just started to show itself but he knew his affections for the thief were never going to be more than a passing fancy now. "There is still an orc pack on us."

"We know…" Thorin moved back from the duo with Dori's words. There were tears in Ori's eyes and on his cheeks but Dori was doing his best to hold it together. They didn't have time to grieve, not yet. 

|||

There was a silence hovering over the soon before battlefield. The dwarves of Erebor looked out over the wall at the elves, men, and dwarves gathered then at the marching orcs. In all of the fantasies of reclaiming the mountain war was not among them. The shuddering of the earth from the Wereworms had settled but it was not to be stopped. Something else was coming. Wind whipped over the open plains and it was a familiar sound to the dwarves and elves. The giant wing beats of a dragon. A mass of white scales and massive chains broke through the clouds to land in front of the orc army. It was the smallest dragon anyone had ever seen being no bigger than the dwarven gates. But even one of that size was enough to bring a different kind of fear to the quiet battlefield. No one was escaping this unscathed. 

"Oh Mahal, how did they get a hold of a dragon?" Kili asked, peering over the stone at the creature. Who was flapping large wings and throwing orcs off its back. Dori stared at the dragon with sorrow and horror clear as day on his face. Ori wasn't looking much better. 

"It's impossible. Right?" Fili asked next, turning to Balin for answers. 

"I don't know, lads. I don't know." There was a terrible roar from the creature that sent a shiver of fear down every other creature's spine. 

"It's Nori." Dori's voice was almost impossible to hear. His eyes were fixated on the shimmering scales that he had only seen once before. When Nori had first come to their Amad and freaked out about the fire that had been built to ward off the winter chill. He was only a small child then. 

"That's not possible," Bofur said. No one in the company would ever believe such a thing. 

"It's true." Dori finally looked away from the dragon, from his brother. The rest of the company was staring at him like he had lost his mind. "He's a skin changer. Has been since our Amad found him. He was barely a boy, little more than a babe." He couldn't help glancing back out to the dragon. Where the dwarves of the Iron Hills had turned to face the oncoming army head on. 

"It's why he took to stealing," Ori stepped in. "Gold, gems, jewelry, even silverware. I used to find small stashes around the house and when I mentioned them he would move them to different places, but he never got rid of any of it. Not unless we needed it." Nori had piles of useless trinkets and random items all over their small house in Ered Luin. And even after Dori's scolding, Ori had never seen a single item removed from its place. 

"He's not like, Smaug." It would be hard for them to believe but Nori was nothing like the other dragon. They differed in more than just mannerisms. "You've all met him, you know what he's like. He'd never hurt anyone unless he had too."

"Then what is that?" The snarl in Dwalin's voice had everyone looking to him then to where he was pointing. Entire sections of the battlefield were frozen solid and several bodies lay underneath sharp claws stained red. Wings opened to push everything around backwards and a mouth of sharp teeth was opened to allow a bright blue glow to be seen. Instead of fire coming out to burn everything, a freezing ice drenched any and everything in its path. Nothing moved around the white dragon; frozen solid. 

"Where's the fire?" Kili's voice was soft and sparked with fear. 

"I told you, he's not like Smaug. Ever since he was little he couldn't stand the heat or fires. Despises dressing in layers despite doing so," Dori said. 

"If he's not like Smaug, then why is he doing that?" The hatred in Gloin's voice had both Dori and Ori rounding on him. 

"He just spent two months in the hands of orcs, forced to do whatever they wished," Dori started. 

"And if they would stop attacking him, he wouldn't fight back." Ori pointed towards the battlefield where the dragon now sat unmoving among his frozen fortress of bodies; dwarf, elf, and orc alike. "Nori never liked violence."

"We've gotta get out there, help them and Nori." Bofur said, already starting for the stairs. 

"No." Thorin's voice had everyone pausing. They had forgotten the King was there. "We're staying here." With the order given, Thorin turned away from the battlefield and left down the stairs. Leaving everyone else to watch the destruction before them. 

|||

No one had approached Nori since the battle ended. The dragon had been left in his frozen tundra while the orcs were taken care of. But now that the battle was over there was a gathering of dwarves, elves, and other races. While Dori and Ori wanted to race up to their brother Gandalf had had sound reasoning when he said it was best to let Radagast and himself approach first. The two wizards stepped through the frozen bodies and ice to get to the still dragon. Brilliant green eyes flicked down to them but didn't move to attack. They didn't have any weapons drawn. Gandalf, being more familiar with Nori, stepped up first and held out his hands to show him unarmed. Eyes blinked but still he didn't move. Radagast stepped up next with a mutter to himself. The dragon's ears flicked up at the sound and lowered his head to get closer to the wizards. 

"That's good, good, settle down. You're safe here." Radagast held a hand out towards the dragon as if to pet his nose. Cold air rushed over him from the huff the dragon gave. 

"Welcome back to the company, Nori." Gandalf said but the dragon barely spared him a flick of an ear. "Stubborn in either form," the wizard muttered. The dragon dropped his head to the frozen ground and stared at Radagast. Knowing that the wizard was a friend to other creatures of the world. 

"Can you change back?" The simple question from Radagast brought a snort from the dragon. Cold breath pushed back clothes and hair alike. "Oh dear, not good. Not good at all." Radagast set a hand on the freezing scales and green eyes fell closed. "It seems he doesn't want to go back."

"It's his decision. Though we will be needing you to move into Erebor." The dragon opened his eyes and lifted his head to stare down at Gandalf. "The dwarves can't remove those chains out here," Gandalf said. For a moment nothing moved. Then the dragon was getting to his feet and launching himself into the air. An icy wind followed him as he dove for the mountain. Settling just inside the entrance hall and staring out into the open plains where the others outside were coming his way. Mutterings in different languages followed the other races as they began the journey back to the mouth of Erebor, where once again a dragon sat. 

The company of Thorin Oakenshield didn’t want to stand on the sidelines as other dwarves worked to help the dragon be freed of his bonds, but it was decided to be the best since none other than Thorin were smiths. They were forced to watch from the edges of the entrance hall while sparks flew by from the hammers and picks being used on the magic infused chains. It probably would have been easier down in the forges but nobody could get the dragon to move from the wide open entrance gates; where the cold winter breeze was blowing through. At some point during the work the wizards were called in to help against the powerful wards on the irons. Even against the better judgement of the dwarves, King Thranduil was allowed to get close and offer his help. If they wanted to get their friend and brother back then the company would have to allow any sort of help that was needed. And to the amazement of the gathered armies the dragon didn’t once move or snap at them, no icy breath or sharp teeth, just a gentle breathing that made everything colder. 

It was well into the night when the first chain snapped. Most of the men and elves had disappeared into the mountain to help with the injured while the dwarves kept a watch on the outside plains. The company was mostly asleep when the loud crack of metal shattering woke everyone. But not nearly as much as the shouts of the dwarves, wizards, and elven King. Such a sound had the dragon thrashing in the chains, tail whipping out and wings flaring in a panic that was hard to watch. Everyone backed off as the red spines on the dragon’s back started to lift and claws broke through the carved stone underneath his feet and the blue glow started up in his throat. The wizards had all of the dwarves back up while the elven king held out open hands towards the terrified creature. Sindarin was spoken in a gentle tone that fit those with young children. Many in the company were about to protest the use of the language and the king speaking to their friend, but Gandalf gave them a glare befitting that of the ancient being he really was. 

And to the surprise of the dwarves the glow settled down and claws were pulled out of the stone. A soft whining noise left the dragon as the spines lowered back down and his head dropped down to the frozen ground. Brilliant green eyes stared at the elven king as ears perked up a small bit. King Thranduil continued his soothing like he used to do with Legolas when the prince was still a young elfling and got nightmares. It was a different scenario but the technique worked the same. The company watched in surprise as the elven king went up to the dragon and placed a hand on his nose. Eyes fell closed and the king motioned for the dwarves and wizards to carry on with the chain breaking; he would keep the creature calm. Dragons are a feared species throughout Middle Earth but even the dullest of creatures could see how gentle and scared this one was. The situation had been explained to the elven king and despite his dislike of dwarves he couldn’t help the pity he felt for the young skin changer. Being raised among dwarves and not knowing who he was until it was too late, it was a terrible fate to wish upon anyone. 

With the dragon calmed down and sleeping the removal of the chains went by easier, and by the morning all of the bonds had been removed. It was a tense few hours as the dwarves switched out with the elves in keeping watch while keeping a watchful eye on the snoozing dragon. The company didn’t want to leave his side but the need to help around the mountain soon won out in their silent battle; even the Ri brothers went to help. King Thranduil stayed with the dragon along with Radagast while the day passed. There were many things that needed the elven king’s attention but it was decided for the safety of all those in the mountain for him to remain. Said dragon awakened at nearly dusk. It was a tense hour of waiting as the dragon took in the missing chains. Then the creature got to his feet and shook out his body like a dog might. 

“Can you change back now?” Radagast asked in the gentlest voice he could manage. The dragon tilted his head down at the wizard but didn’t do anything else. “Do you know how?” Green eyes did a slow blink before the dragon turned his head to look at the elven king. 

“Back into a dwarf, can you shift back to that?” The sindarin was still soft spoken but it had the dragon pinning his ears back. Thranduil held his hands out to show he meant no harm. This was turning into a sticky situation. “Do you wish to, young one? There is no one forcing you.” A quiet noise started up in the dragon’s throat and he lowered back down to the stone ground. “That is fine, you may remain however you wish.”

“What’s happening?” Dori asked from the sidelines with the rest of the company. None of them knew elvish. 

“He will not change back,” Gandalf answered. The wizard had been doing some thinking if this had ended up being the case and turned to face Thorin. “Nori will need to be put somewhere other than the front entrance. And being a dragon, there is likely only one place he would like to go in this mountain.”

“Or.” Thranduil stepped into the conversation and earned several glares from the dwarves that he brushed off. “I’d be willing to let the young skin changer come back to my kingdom. Should he be unwilling to stay here.” It was obvious the elven king thought that the dragon wouldn’t want to stay within the too warm halls of the mountain. It was far cooler in the forest. 

“No. He is part of this company and he’s staying with it.” Thorin didn’t like the idea of letting Nori be anywhere near the elven king. He didn’t trust the other king even after his help in keeping the dragon calm throughout the night. 

“That is not for you to decide,” Thranduil said.

“Nor is it yours,” Thorin countered. Behind the elven king, the dragon was watching the argument spark. Ears were still pinned back and Dori was the only to notice the red spines starting to lift on his back. 

“Be quiet!” Dori snapped, cutting both kings off before the argument could get any further. “Nori is my brother and he shall choose where he is most comfortable. Not any of us.” Mahal knows that Nori never listened to anyone but himself. The dragon’s ears perked up at the sound of Dori’s voice but the spines didn’t lower. It was clear he recognized the company but he had wished to have nothing to do with them during the long night. 

“Radagast, would you be able to get a clear answer from him?” Gandalf turned to the other wizard, who was watching the dragon closely. 

“It’s not nearly that simple, Gandalf.” The brown wizard drew the dragon’s attention by holding a hand out towards him. A simple spell was used for him to get a reading on the dragon’s general thoughts and feelings. “He likes both options.” The dragon met the wizard’s eyes and dropped his head down to let the wizard touch his nose. “Ah, that is most helpful. Yes, yes, I understand. You are quite pushy, young one.” The one-sided conversation had all of the dwarves sharing confused looks while Thranduil and Gandalf rolled their eyes. Radagast had always had a way with animals but he never got to the point. “It seems there’s more to our companion. Gandalf,” the brown wizard turned to the other wizard, “were the other skin changers able to use telepathic means of communication?”

“No, they were not.” Gandalf’s wary and confused answer had everyone else in the hall on edge. If Nori wasn’t a skin changer, then what was he? “I don’t believe I know of any race in Middle Earth that can use such means naturally. Lady Galadriel uses old magic like the rest of us.” 

“This is a most interesting conversation,” Thranduil interrupted, “but shall we continue on with our previous discussion?” The question was more of a command but no one acknowledged it. The dragon turned his head towards the elven king with perked up ears and the spines finally lowering on his back. 

“If Nori can do whatever this magic is to talk, why is he so keen on King Thranduil?” Kili asked, finding another reason to change the course of the discussion. It had the dwarves glaring at him before the question registered then similar thoughts bothering them as well. The dragon tilted his head to the side and his wings flared out, claws making a clicking sound on the stone, like he was trying to make himself look bigger. 

“That might be because he has spent some time in my halls several years ago.” The words from the elven king had all of the dwarves ready to protest. Impossible, a dwarf wouldn’t willingly stay with an elf. “For whatever reason Legolas befriended him.”

“What was Nori doing anywhere near Mirkwood?” Fili asked, voicing a question many of the company had on their minds. 

“He used to travel,” Ori said. 

“Causing trouble more like,” Dori muttered. It earned an odd chuffing sort of noise from the dragon that one might call laughing. 

“Yes, he had a penchant for causing trouble within my kingdom for the duration of his stay.” Thranduil gave a look to the dragon but the creature only did the same laughing like noise in response. He had had to banish the dwarf from his palace before he could cause any lasting damage. In fact, Thranduil was more than certain he was still missing an entire set of wine glasses from his personal collection. The only reason he hadn’t banished the dwarf before that point was because Legolas was enjoying having a friend within the kingdom that wasn’t just Tauriel. 

“It doesn’t matter now.” Thorin was tired of this conversation going astray. “We still need to decide where Nori is going to be staying.” The dragon turned back to Radagast to convey his answer.

“He wishes to stay in the mountain, with his brothers.” All the dwarves relaxed until Radagast continued. “And something about a hoard of gold.” 

“Is that a good idea?” Bilbo asked, everyone remembering the gold sickness that tainted Thorin’s mind and that hoard of gold deep in the mountain. The question though only brought a laugh from Gandalf. 

“There will be no problem. No such sickness clings to Nori’s mind nor should any grow. I’m sure it has not passed any of your views that he was rather passive and easy mannered in this form.” The reminder did little to settle the nerves of the company. “The sickness that affected Thror, Smaug, and Thorin has nothing to catch a hold of in Nori. He has no want or need for gold.”

“Ah, he says he is quite comfortable where he is at in terms of coin,” Radagast said. A silence settled over the dwarves as they waited for Thorin to make the ruling decision on letting another dragon into the treasury halls.

“Very well.” Thorin wanted to trust the dragon and he knew the way to start is by letting him prove himself. Nori had a different sort of trust from him but that couldn’t travel over. He could trust a fellow dwarf but he couldn’t trust a dragon just yet. “He may stay down there.” The dragon flicked his ears at the dwarf king before standing up once more. When he didn’t move down the hall towards the treasury it became clear that the dragon had no idea where it was; despite being a dragon. 

“Should you ever wish to leave these dwarven halls, you have a place under my trees,” Thranduil said. The dragon dipped his head in acknowledgement before turning to the dwarf king. Green eyes burned through Thorin with the familiarness of them and had the king turning away. The company said their mild goodbyes to the wizards and elven king before moving to lead the dragon through the broken halls of Erebor. 

It was no trouble getting the small dragon through the corridors and halls. The company conversed among themselves as Thorin took over leading the group to the treasure hoard deep in the mountain. Even getting close to the cursed gold made all of the dwarves tense. But the second the large doorway opened up into the shining hall, the dragon behind them started moving. None of the dwarves had to duck as the dragon leapt over their heads and fell upon the piles of gold. The pieces scattered and mounds of the stuff shifted around in an odd symphony. Everyone in the company stopped on the stairs to watch what the dragon was going to do. They would never admit it but they were nervous he would turn on them and become like Smaug. But their thoughts were for naught. The dragon did a sort of sniffing motion at the gold he was standing on then sneezed. Sending shards of ice across the gold and making frost creep along the pieces. It had Ori laughing along with Fili and Kili. Their laughter was silenced though by the bright blue glow starting in the dragon’s chest and throat. The company started to back away from the dragon only to have him freeze the immediate section around him. Ice and frost covered a good section of the gold that soon had a dragon perched on top of it. It was far too warm in the mountain for him to stay comfortably so he would just have to make it cold enough for himself.

It was a tense silence for a few minutes before the company relaxed. The dragon wasn’t going to turn on them. He was quite content to just change the climate of the golden caverns to stay within. For a while the dwarves and Bilbo just watched as the dragon forced every piece of gold and jewels around him in a case of ice. A chill was starting to set into the surrounding stone and made many in the company shiver. Frost crawled up the stone steps towards and they took that as a sign to leave the young dragon to his work.


	2. Thranduil/Original Female Character

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long before meeting Legolas' mother, Thranduil had another love.

Spring in the Woodland Realm would always be as magical as the first time one witnessed it. The green leaves and buds growing on the trees, bushes sprouting out of the dirt, grass poking through the decaying leaves, the skittering of animals in the brush. It was the sound of life coming back from the frozen world of winter. Linielas always found it to be her favorite season. She would travel under the trees and wander the borders to take in the rebirth of nature. And more often than not she would have the Prince with her. Thranduil would be by her side through the hours of walking through the trees and welcoming the new life to their lands. It was always the two of them. If one left the palace the other was sure to be with them in a matter of hours. They were an inseparable pair. 

Nothing would come between them, not even King Oropher's disapproval. They had been friends since they were mere children running the halls of the palace. Thranduil to get out of lessons and Linielas to escape her own lessons down in the healing halls. As they grew and neared their maturity something changed in their friendship. It was an almost expected progression of their friendship to become so much more. A love blossomed among the trees that would last centuries. Promises were made to each other. Thranduil had two pieces of jewelry made that would keep them linked for the rest of their long lives. His symbol of a four pointed star hanging from a diamond chain with Linielas' water drop dangling from underneath it. They were going to be together forever. He made the promise that he would marry her under the light of the stars even if his father disapproved. And she promised to be by his side, never to leave him. 

But those promises would soon be broken. 

"Oh, come on! We do this every season, Thranduil. You can miss one lesson." Linielas hung from a tree branch just beyond the bridge leading into the palace. Spring was just starting and she didn't want to miss the magic. Thranduil stood at the very edge of the bridge watching her. "One day, my love. Your father can have you tomorrow."

"I'll meet you out there. Don't go beyond the borders without me." The young Prince gave her a serious look. "It's still not quite safe out there. Father doesn't want anyone past the borders."

"I know, I know. It'll be fine," she said. In a jump she was landing just in front of him. There was a chaste kiss shared before Linielas was running off into the trees. Thranduil muttered something that she missed but when she looked over her shoulder he was already walking back for the doors. 

The Woodland Realm borders stretched for miles of forest and along the river edge. Linielas was going in the opposite direction towards the open plains. The trees were more open that way and the Great Elven Road split the forest straight through. It was easier to run the road and end up right where she wanted to be. She slipped under a bush to shave off a few miles; she knew her trail like the back of her hand. Birdsong filled the forest along with the chittering of other animals. The trees were singing with bright life and fresh fauna was brimming with joyful noise. There wasn't a voice she couldn't hear. Everything was happy. The music of the forest had her relaxed with a peaceful smile on her face. She would forever love these woods. 

Right on the edge of the borders the trees started whispering warnings. Linielas slowed her pace and stopped to listen to what they had to say; nothing good. Loud rustling caught her attention. Something large was moving through the undergrowth. She scaled up a tree to get a better look at what was moving through her forest. The large pack of orcs was not what she expected. Nor did she expect one of them to notice her and alert the others. Being from the inner palace and a healer, she didn't know how to fight. So when the orcs pulled her down from the tree the most she could do was struggle for her life. It wasn't enough. One of the orcs struck her over the head with a rock and she was knocked out cold, at the mercy of foul beasts. 

A couple hours later Thranduil skipped out on his lessons to join his love out in the forest. He took the same memorized path and reached where something destroyed the new growth. Spots of blood dotted the fresh grass along with a shredded piece of purple fabric. Linielas was the only one out this way. The trees sang their sorrows as he raced to follow the trail of whatever took Linielas. By the time he reached the edge of the forest he knew he was too late to save her. Orcs had crossed their borders and stolen away the love of his life. When he got back to the palace he went to his father to explain the situation but there was nothing they could do. Linielas had been gone for several hours at this point and if orcs really did take her, then she was good as dead. 

Prince Thranduil held onto some sort of hope for hundreds of years until it became beyond clear that Linielas was dead; and never coming back. 

While over the Misty Mountains Elrond was nursing a young elf back to full health. Where she would remain for the next two thousand years. 

A fine horn cut through the howls of wargs and screeches of orcs. Arrows shot from horseback cleared most of the orc pack while a couple escaped. Lini rode alongside Elrond to survey the dead pack before heading back to the Valley. Something must have drawn them near. She had been along the borders many times and there was hardly any danger. A few minor run ins as of late but nothing out of the usual. Whatever brought those foul creatures near were going to get a strong talking to from her. If she could find it. 

Riding back into Imladris was done with little fanfare. But there was a troupe of dwarves on their doorstep when they arrived. She pulled her horse up next to the group before stepping off. Her gold eyes surveyed the group before coming to Mithrandir talking to Elrond. The old wizard always brought trouble with him. She moved around the dwarves to greet the wizard with a hug. It had been many years since she'd last seen him. 

"Mithrandir, whatever pulled you back our way?" Lini stepped back from him to give a grin. "Are you here to cause trouble like usual? We've been lacking in excitement for the last few years."

"Oh I'm sure there will be no shortage of excitement for the next few days," Mithrandir said. There was a muttering behind her that had her looking over her shoulder at the dwarves. Several of them were giving rude glares that she ignored. Turning back to the wizard she gave him another grin. 

"We'll have fun. We haven't hosted dwarves for nearly four hundred years." Lini dipped her head to Elrond before moving up the stairs behind him. Her horse would be taken care of like Elrond's after every ride. "I'll let the kitchens know we have guests. Would you like to invite the elflings to dinner?"

"They would not take kindly to you referring to them as such," Elrond said. Lini gave him a smirk and shrugged. His children were always going to be the same babies she helped raise no matter their age. "No, Arwen would be the only one to join and she is currently out with Estel." The young man had come back to visit a couple days ago and Arwen spent most of the time with him. 

"Mm, best not interrupt then." She stepped out in front of the elf Lord to turn down a different hall. "I'll see you at dinner." If he was going to say something else she cut him off by leaping over the railing. 

The kitchens were several halls away from the personal quarters and she didn't like to waste time with stairs. Lini moved through the various halls to alert the cooks that they were dwarven guests. Many of the elves working there only gave her looks that she was used to. She used to be a nuisance in the kitchens when Elrond's boys were still growing up. When they weren't with him or his wife they were with her. And those boys learned their penchant for mischief from her at a young age. Mainly nicking rolls from the kitchens. But she just nodded politely to the cooks before disappearing to her rooms. She still needed to clean up for dinner. 

After cleaning up and changing into a simple purple dress Lini was heading for Elrond’s personal rooms. Most dinners were on his balcony with the elflings when they were home. She stepped up the stairs and greeted Lindir with a grin that wasn’t returned. He never much cared for her. Before she could end up tormenting him in some way the quiet mutterings of the dwarves caught her attention. And when she found nothing but leaves and green covering the tables she smothered a laugh. They had clearly done something to the cooks; or maybe it was her. Either way she bent over to stick her nose in their business. The dwarf closest to her was by far the youngest if she could tell correctly, all newly cut hair and still mostly unbearded face.

“If you stick around long enough I can show you where the kitchens are.” Her presence startled all the dwarves into glaring at her. The young one next to her leaned back to see her face. “They have all the best stuff, especially the pastries.” She gave them a wink before standing straight and heading for Elrond’s table like nothing had happened. Lindir was giving her a nasty look that she ignored.

When Elrond walked in with Mithrandir and the dwarf leader, Thorin, Lini greeted them with a grin and wave. Elrond gave her a look that said he knew she was up to something. But he didn’t say anything and took his usual place across from her while the two sat on either side of him. She hummed to herself and ate a dinner roll. They could do their talking while she listened, there was nothing she had to say on the matter. Weapons like swords weren’t her cup of tea. In fact Elrond’s wife had taught her how to shoot a bow after she failed miserably in the sword lessons. Not that she was much good at that either, being a gentle soul and more inclined for healing like Elrond. She still learned and knew she could hold her own with either weapon but she didn’t like doing it.

It wasn’t until after dinner and the sun had set that Lini found herself searching out the dwarves. They weren’t hard to find. She stepped over the railing to drop in the middle of their dwarf circle and earned several weapons pointed at her. When she straightened she gave them a friendly grin.

“It’s not often we get visitors that aren’t boring. Dinner certainly was an affair.” She brushed off her dress and swiped her gray hair out of her face. All of the dwarves were still watching her, some warily and others still glaring. “I might have annoyed the kitchens before you got here so that’s why dinner was the way it was.”

“Why’re you here?” One of the older dwarves asked, fiery red hair that she’d never seen anywhere else.

“To offer an apology. I can show you to the kitchens.” She motioned towards the hall behind the dwarves with another grin. The weapons were all put away but still the older of the dwarves were still regarding her with distrust. 

|||

Breaking free of the spider's web blanketing her body was annoying. She pulled the pieces off of her face and away from her bow but there was still more. Then the chittering started. Lini pulled up the dwarves and sent them running before taking the lead. The trees were whispering again but not to distract her. They were getting clearer and brighter. Which meant the sickness upon the forest was lessening in the direction they were running. It didn't stop the spiders though. She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and used it almost like a knife in stabbing the spiders. They hissed and spit their anger and pain. But the trees were talking again. Elves. She looked up to the trees to find a small group of elves climbing through the branches to their aid. Only the elves pulled their weapons on them and forced them into a circle. The only blond of the group came up to her while Kili shouted for help. Lini moved to help when a hand wrapped around the necklace she always wore. 

"Where did you get this?" The anger in the elf's voice had her startling. Her hands went up to grasp the diamond chain only for the elf to rip off from her. Small diamonds scattered the leaves. 

"It's mine! I've had it for thousands of years." She reached out for the broken necklace as the elf moved it closer to his face. The star and drop pendants were of faded gold with the small emerald gems in each needing a good polishing. "Please, give it back."

"Where did you get it, thief?" The elf stuffed the necklace into his tunic and glared down at her. 

"I don't remember, it's always been with me. Lord Elrond said he found it with me." So many years ago. He couldn't tell her what it was but part of her knew it was important. She had kept it with her and cherished it. 

"There's punishment for stealing from the King," the elf said. He walked away from her while giving an order to search the company. A different elf relieved her of her bow and quiver along with the knife she kept on her side. 

Then her hands were being bound and they were ushered through the forest. Lini was furious at the elf but that anger was set to the back burner of her mind. The trees were singing. No more sickness poisoning them or illusions. She listened to them wishing autumn good-bye and singing praises for the winter coming. Light filtered through the treetops once more to bring a soft golden glow to the oak and elm trees. The further they moved towards the light the louder the singing became. She wanted to run her hands over their trunks and brush her fingers over the upmost branches. A welcome was growing within the general peace. Louder and joyful the trees welcomed her back like she had been there before. A sweet symphony of excited fauna at her return. Though she could not remember ever being there; they cared not. 

When the company reached a bridge a louder welcome greeted her. The stone of the caverns and large trees sang their joys of her finally coming back. It left her confused but not too much. She knew she wasn't from Imladris. Even down in the cells she could still hear the distant sounds of rejoicing from the plant and mineral life. The elves stuck her in a cell next to Balin with Thorin on his other side. Who was soon taken away to meet with the King. Lini scouted out the cell but found nothing of interest; it was just a cell. She dropped down on the stone bench until the elven guards came back with Thorin. Then opened her cell. Nothing was said as the two guards led her up the twisting stairs and walkways. The beautiful caverns in which this palace was built held her attention with their whispering and welcome homes. Even the tree roots seemed alive with joy at her arrival. That joy didn't lessen any as she neared the main throne room. She could see the curved throne backed by antlers with a stunning blond form sitting upon it. More like lounging but same thing. Along with a similar blond standing below. 

"I didn't know the Woodland Realm was this hospitable." Her sarcasm echoed in the open cave. It brought two sets of near identical blue eyes to her. One was annoyed and the other was carefully blank. "Lord Elrond would be appalled at the welcoming of guests you provide."

"What guests trespass into our lands?" The blond standing in front of her asked. "Carrying stolen items, no less."

"Stolen items?" A smooth voice asked from above. Lini looked up to find the King getting to his feet. "What items have been taken from my kingdom and I not been informed?" The King stepped down from his throne to join Lini and the other blond. 

"This." The young elf pulled her necklace from his tunic to hold out. "I recognized it from the one-"

"Where did you get this?" The King rounded on her with a fire blazing in his eyes. But it wasn't anger. There was a look of recognition and relief breaking through the emotionless mask hiding his face. Lini could hear the echoing songs of joy from the palace. Something was happening here but she didn't know what. 

"As I told that one," she nodded to the other blond, "I've always had it. Lord Elrond found me with it two thousand years ago." Annoyance was starting to creep up on her. She wanted her necklace back and to get the company back on their way. "Now, if I could have it back, that would be most appreciated. Considering the elfling already broke it."

"What is your name?" The King took the necklace from the young elf with his question. He turned the old piece in his hands to find the broken clasp and missing diamonds. 

"Linielas, but I just go by Lini." She studied the King for a moment. He really was stunning. Long white blond hair with steel blue eyes and an eternally youthful face all elves had. Even that dumb crown complimented him. "Can I have that back and we start on business? My companions and I would rather not remain in your cells." 

"Linielas." Her name fell from the king's lips like it belonged there. Like he had said it thousands of times before. "From Imladris?" Blue eyes burned into her own gold. 

"Yes." She narrowed her eyes at the elf. He knew something. But there wasn't time to figure it out; Durin's Day was nearing. "And if we're done with that, can we get back to my business?" They were so close and couldn't afford any delays. The King closed his fingers around the necklace and turned away from her. 

"Leave us." The order was given to the young elf. Who looked ready to protest but followed the word of his King. When he was down the stairs and still within hearing range Lini spoke up. 

"Cute kid. He yours?" She knew the other blond was so much younger than herself and the King before her. 

"Yes." The straight answer made her pause. The King's son was an asshole. She snorted to herself and earned the King turning back to her. A sort of grief swept over his face that let her know the elfling's mother and the Queen was dead. It made her heart ache for them both. She knew what it was like to lose the love of your life. But as fast as the expression came it was gone. In its place was a calculating one. "We can talk about your concerns in a moment. I rather have some questions for you."

"Fine. What do you wish to know?"

"How you came to Lord Elrond, if you've even crossed the Misty Mountains, can you hear the trees?" The oddness of the last question had her standing straighter. A very select few people knew of her deep connection with nature. 

"Lord Elrond found me North of the Misty Mountains. He and a group of his best rescued me from an orc camp. I don't know much about what happened." She gave a shrug with her words. It had stopped bothering many years ago. "No, I've never crossed the mountains that I know of. And yes, I can hear the trees." The King wrapped the broken necklace around his fingers until the two symbols sat in his palm. A four point star with a water drop resting beneath it. The new symbol it made was one she had seen before in Elrond's rooms. It was the signature of the Woodland Realm, specifically that of the King. 

"What do they say?" His voice was much softer than it was before. It put her on edge. 

"That they're happy, excited, joyful." A string of beautiful 'welcome homes' blessed her ears from the trees of the palace. She tilted her head up towards with furrowed brows. "They're welcoming someone home. It's brought them a new light apparently. It's been so dark here. They sing of a new hope." 

"They always were fond of you." The King lifted the symbol in his hand closer to his face. Then he let them fall and the chain unwind from his fingers to dangle. Lini looked back to him with a frown. "Or so you used to say." 

"What is going on here?" She took a step forward but stopped short when icy eyes pinned her in place. 

"It appears you've lost a few of your memories. Such a shame." The King held out her necklace to her, that she was quick to take from him. Once it was back in her hands he was moving back up to his ridiculous throne. "Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss?" The shift of conversation had her blinking up at him. 

"What? You're going to drop something like that then move on?"

"You wanted to talk about those dwarf companions of yours and since you can't remember anything, I see that line of conversation has exhausted itself." The King said while moving to lounge in his throne again. Legs crossed and up on one arm while he leaned back with his arms out free. It was a captivating pose. 

"Well, when you put it that way." Lini looked away from the King to put the necklace in between her leather breastplate and tunic. There was a point to his words. And if this next conversation went well then she could always ask more questions. "First things first, I'm afraid I don't know your name, my Lord."

"Thranduil," he said. She gave him a nod and small smile. 

"My Lord Thranduil, I wish to speak about releasing my companions and I." She dipped her head in a short bow. "We were following the Great Elven Road through the forest when we got led astray. Our crossing your borders was purely an accident. I'm asking you to let us go so we may carry on with our journey."

"To the Lonely Mountain. Where you plan on slaying a dragon." The disdain in his voice had Lini frowning. "Some deem it wise of me to keep you locked away. Less you awaken the beast."

"Has that beast not been in that mountain for far too long? He will have to come out eventually for food. Is it not safer to kill him while he sleeps?" There hadn't been much thought put into the slaying of Smaug but Thranduil didn't need to know that. "And Thorin's quest, I fear, has nothing to do with you or your kingdom."

"Oh I wish you luck on your fire Drake slaying, you will not get far." Thranduil tipped his head back to rest it on the throne, and let Lini catch a glimpse of a chain around his neck. "And there are things in that mountain I too desire that Smaug is guarding. I already offered my assistance to Oakenshield and was turned down in favor of him staying in the cells. But you're welcome to rejoin my people, and escape the same fate."

"Your people?" Lini could hear the hope rising in the trees. The King looked down on her with an expectant expression. "I have no reason to join you. My people are in Imladris and my friends are in your dungeon." Something crossed over Thranduil's face that she missed but she didn't care. "Your offer is generous but I will not be taking it."

"You would rather rot in a cell than be among your own?" Lini faced the King and met his eyes. Icy blue clashing with molten gold. 

"Yes. I'd rather see out the end of this quest with my companions even if the ending is down in a cell." She dipped her head to him before turning away. The two guards that led her there were coming up the stairs. 

"Very well." With the obvious dismissal the guards took her back down to the cells. Where she sat on the stone bench and pulled out her necklace. 

"What did he want?" Balin asked from the next to her cell. 

"His son accused me of thievery. Then he turned around to offer me a place among the elves of his halls." She brushed her fingers over the broken clasp and diamonds. The signature the two symbols made was throwing her head for a spin. Why would she have something seemingly important to the Woodland Realm Royalty? 

"And you chose to come back here?" Thorin asked, clearly not believing her. 

"I'm here, am I not?"


	3. Cold as Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going from a simple photoshoot to the center of a forest wasn't in her plans.

It's not everyday one is to be doing a photoshoot. Unless of course, you're in that profession; but otherwise most people don't do them. For Isabella Kingsley photo shoots happened pretty often. Her parents had been offered for her to be a model for a company at a young age and from there she just kind of continued doing it. It had become something somewhat stable and her own that she didn't have to share. She took pride in what she did. And she had to admit, the things that people wanted to see her in were just to die for. 

While she knew many people don't make it far in a modeling career, she honestly didn't care. This wasn't something she planned to do for the rest of her life but she enjoyed doing it at that moment in time. Several of her brothers poked fun at her about being only a pretty face. To which she fired back that she was making more money than they were for her pretty features. Which her features were quite stunning if she had to admit. Nothing compared to some others, but she wasn't lacking in the looks department. 

As it was, she quite enjoyed doing photo shoots. Even when it was cold and being done in the middle of a snowy forest in winter. She was doing a wintery, snowy type session for a magazine. The team of stylists had stuffed her in a gorgeous light purple gown with soft gold embellishments. And the soft, loose cloak that they put over the top had her practically drooling over it. It was a sheer fabric with white fur on the edges and the bottom was cut to match that of snowflakes. The shoes were less than favorable with the three inch white stiletto heels that they packed, but they matched well enough. They put a golden lamp in one hand and a fake sword in the other. It confused her, but it wasn't her place to question the photographers choices. 

The photographer had her go through several poses and styles in the snow with the add in of snow being tossed at her. This was probably one of her favorite photoshoots that she had ever done. It might have been cold, but she felt like a Queen in the outfit she was in. She did a twirl for the camera and heard the shutter of a picture being taken. The session was coming to a close so they needed to get the last of the pictures done. That and a storm was being talked about that was rolling in. While the sky was just now being covered in gray clouds, the sun was still high in the sky to provide nice lighting. 

"Alright, let's get the last one before we get caught up in the storm." The manager of this excursion called from where she was helping take down the tents. 

"Okay!" The photographer shouted back. He turned back to Isabella to give her instructions. "I need you to get on your knees with the sword stuck in the ground in front of your face. I need this one sad, okay?"

"Got it." She lowered herself to her knees in the snow and put the sword like directed. Her expression morphed into one of pure sadness with her eyes downcast at the shining blade. A soft snow was starting to fall and landed on her face to make it look like she was crying. It made her cold and quite ready to get warm in the van. 

"That's it! Were done!" She climbed to her feet and brushed off the snow coating her dress. Even in the heels and snow she made it back to the rest of the crew without any accidents. 

"We don't have to time take everything off of you. Not with the storm rolling in. It's gonna have to wait until we get to the studio," the manager said. 

"That's fine by me. I quite enjoy this outfit." Isabella gave a half twirl before she was being stuffed into the front seat of a van. "Though I am quite done with these heels."

"They are a set of beasts, aren't they?" Silvia, the blonde woman who always happens to be the one driving her, said. Her eyes flicked down to the white heels being held up by Isabella. 

"Nothing compared to the pink pair from last summer. You remember those don't you? Five or six inch heels, I about broke my ankle walking in them." Isabella set the heels in her lap and stretched out her arms. She was in need of a nice nap. 

"Those were bad, I'll give ya that." The van started off down the dirt road and through the forest. "But you were also in a building, not in the snow. Can't imagine how hard it was to walk with them."

"Oh they weren't that bad." She turned to look over at Silvia instead of the road. "Got stuck in a patch of dirt and nearly fell over. But overall, they were decent."

"Really? Would have-" What ever Silvia was going to say was cut off. There was a screech of tires and shouting for a moment before the front of the van slammed into something. 

Isabella screamed as the quick stop sent her flying. Not having put on her seatbelt, like an idiot, she was sent out the front windshield. Pain laced her body as she went through the glass before landing hard. Her head must have hit something because her vision rapidly darkened until she passed out. 

There was bird song around her. It was soft and musical for half a moment. Then something else quieted them quick enough one would think they died. Isabella didn't think much of it, just waking up after taking a nosedive out a windshield. Everything hurt. From the top of her head down to her bare toes. Her bones ached and her muscles protested against her shifting. She blinked open her eyes only to shut them against the bright sunlight. It was much too bright for what had just happened. 

A groan left her mouth as she lifted an arm to cover her eyes. The soft fabric of her cloak was soothing against her burning face. She stretched out her toes and feet to make sure they weren't broken before doing the rest of her legs. Nothing down below seemed to be broken and with her arm movements, they were relatively alright. It was just that her skin was on fire with bruising. And it seemed she had a cut across her forehead if the stinging was to go by. She did her best to relax and lowered her arm from her face. Her eyes blinked against the light but slowly adjusted. 

Above her were tree branches. It wouldn't have surprised her if it wasn't for the fact that the snow was missing. In fact, it was entirely too warm for it just having been snowing. Sitting up slowly, she looked around her. Her observation had been correct. There was no snow in sight and no sign that it was even winter. Green leaves covered the tree branches and soft grass was surrounding her. She could have sworn she was in a pine forest. 

This was really weird. She looked around her surroundings again just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Nope, she really was in a different forest in the middle of summer apparently. She was already starting to sweat in the dress and cloak she wore despite how light the material was. Just as she started to shed the cloak something glinting in the sun caught her attention. Shuffling on her knees, she found the sword from the photoshoot sitting under a bush. How it got there was beyond her though. It had been taken from her along with the lamp after the pictures were done. The thing wasn't even in the same van as herself. 

She squinted down at it and went to run a hand over the blade. It was definitely a sword, and not the dulled one she had wielded. Blood beaded on her finger from the small nick she received. Sticking the finger in her mouth, she sat back on her heels. Just what in the world was going on? She hummed to herself and stared down at the blade until something sounded in the bushes. 

There was a crack and rustling that had her scooting backwards. The blade was in her hands but she had no intention of using it. She stared at the bushes with wide eyes, waiting for something to happen. What she didn't expect was for a giant wolf like creature to come stumbling out. It snarled and whined with its large ears pulled back against its head. Isabella scrambled back a few more feet as the creature fell to the ground. She felt her heart start to race in her chest as fear crawled over her. This thing could eat her in like two bites. 

But it did no such thing. The creature whined again and set its head on the ground. Isabella looked over the brown thing until she came across what was causing its distress. A long slash went all along its side. It started at its neck and didn't stop until the beginning of its tail. Pity washed over her. She had always had a soft stop for animals. Getting to her knees, she shuffled over to the wolf. There was a growl coming from it before she even got close.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I want to see if I can help." She kept her voice low and non-threatening so as to ease its wariness. "Can I trust you not to bite me?"

The wolf was quiet and she took that as a good sign. She shifted the last foot need until she was in between its legs. It only took one glance for her to know it was actually a he. Before reaching out to touch him she held up her hand to his muzzle, allowing him to know her scent first. When she didn't feel him try to bite her she pulled away. Her hands went out to the cut and smoothed out the fur around it. The brown fur was coated in blood and made it hard to determine if the wound was still bleeding. But either way she was going to have to bind it if he was going to have a chance at survival. 

Taking off her cloak she grabbed the sword and started shredding it. The material was light, but with all of it wrapped around the wound it would keep out the elements. She looked down at the wolf to find him watching her with amber eyes. 

"I have to bind the cut so it doesn't get worse until we can find some water to wash it out," she said. She didn't know why she was explaining it but he seemed to understand what she was saying. 

With all of the cloak shredded she moved to start wrapping up the wolf's body. He growled at her when she started pushing the strips underneath his body but didn't move to hurt her. She hummed quietly as she wrapped the long strips of cloak around his body until all of it was covered. There were still several pieces left, but they were going to need them when they finally found water. 

"Can you stand?" Her hand went to touch his head but pulled back when he snarled. She flinched but didn't move away from him completely. It was clear he was in pain. 

When she was about to ask again he started shifting on the grass. She scooted back and climbed to her own feet. The wolf rolled onto his hunches before getting to his paws. Even though she stood at roughly five-five this creature reached up to her chin. She swallowed harshly and eyed his mouth full of long teeth. Oh she really didn't want to die by a wolf. But he seemed to have no intentions of doing so. 

"Right. My hearing is terrible. So can you pick up on rushing water?" Her question earned her a flick of a long ear. The wolf sniffed at her and then the ground. He huffed and started off down a path only he could see. 

Isabella sighed and trotted off after him. Her body protested the movement and caused her to hiss in pain but not stop. If she lost him now she'd never find him again. And it didn't seem he had any intentions of stopping for her. She followed behind him through the trees and bushes for a long while. The dress she wore caught on branches and slowed her down, but she never lost sight of the wolf. 

The sun was just starting to set when he came to a stop. Isabella dropped to the ground next to his standing figure. The sword she was carrying fell to the grass with a soft thump that neither of them paid attention too. Before her was a wide creek. She was quite ready to strip and clean herself, but she also needed a serious drink. Moving to the edge of the water, she lowered her hands and cupped them to bring water up to her mouth. She sipped on the cool liquid until something bumped into her shoulder. 

She sat back up to find the wolf staring down at her. His muzzle was right next to her face. It would have been more intimidating if not for his terrible breath. She wrinkled her nose against the smell and got to her feet. It took a few seconds to get the binding unwound before he could get into the water. The second they were off he was leaping into the creek. 

"Hey! I'd like to keep this dress dry!" She scowled at the creature but ultimately shrugged off the dress. The strapless bra she was wearing joined the purple gown in the grass along with her underwear and long white socks. 

The water was cold and oddly satisfying to step into. It wasn't massively deep but it did reach her waist in the middle of the creek. The wolf was standing in the middle waiting for her to join him. She rolled her eyes at him before pushing down on his back softly. Taking the instruction, he sat down in the water. It lapped at his chest and over most of the wound. She smoothed a hand over his fur before starting to scrub at the blood. 

It was a slow process with him growling at her every few seconds. But they soon got all of the blood and grime washed out his fur. Then he was hopping out of the water to lay in the grass next to her clothes. She sighed and took a moment to survey the damage to her own body. Most of her pale skin was covered in purple bruises. It hurt to scrub away the sweat and what dirt had collected on her skin. With every hiss she made there would be a huff from the wolf behind. 

"You're awfully grumpy." She sunk down in the water until it lapped at her chin. Dipping her head back with her eyes closed, she ran her fingers through her hair. It was still relatively clean but she at least wanted to wash the sweat out. "I might just call you that. Grumpy. It seems like a good enough name." There was a snort from behind her. "Well, it's not like you can tell me different."

There was a shifting on limbs before a splash. Water swept over her head that had her popping up coughing; make-up ran down her face in odd streams. She spun around to glare at the creature. He was half-way in the water with his front paws holding him up; his back end lying down in the grass. A paw was lifted then flying through the water towards her. She shrieked in surprise as a wave of water splashed her face and had foundation clouding the water. There was another wave sent her way before she was splashing back. It earned her a soft growl and a paw pushing on her shoulder. 

"Wait! Wait!" She cried out with a laugh. Her hands came up to grab the paw. It was heavy and bigger than both her hands combined. She hefted it off her shoulder and back into the water with a laugh. 

Grumpy snorted at her and started to pull out of the water. She scrubbed at her face for a moment to get off the make-up, but she knew most of it on her eyes wasn’t going anywhere. It would have annoyed her if she had make-up wipes; without them there was not much she could do. Instead of worrying about breaking out, she started to rise from the water; it was about time to bind the wolf’s wound again. She rung the water out of her hair as she stood in the middle of the creek. Her eyes followed the wolf as he went to lay back in the grass. She went to move for the bank when a sound stopped her. It was the sound of feet on the opposite bank. She covered her breasts and turned in the water. A growling started up from Grumpy as the footsteps grew closer. She started to back up to him when the bushes burst open. 

"Get down!" The shout startled her. She backed up another step as she tried to figure out who had come out of the bushes. It was a man obviously. Several of them actually. 

"What?" She blinked at them and backed up further, not bothering to cover her lower half. It never bothered her to be naked. The men on the opposite bank remained staring at something behind her. Several weapons were raised at the ready. "What're you doing?"

"Get down, woman! There's a warg behind you." One of the men shouted. She looked over her shoulder at Grumpy. He was standing just behind her like she was a shield. A loud growling was coming from him. His hot breath hit her bare skin uncomfortably. 

"That's just Grumpy." She said while turning back. She eyed the weapons the men wielded before backing up onto the bank. Grumpy followed her step for step, keeping her in between him and the very lethal arrow pointed at him. The other weapons were of no concern with them across banks, but the arrow didn't need to be close range. "Could you put those away? I don't like being threatened. Makes me uncomfortable."

"Get away from that thing, lass!" She looked to the man with the funny hat. They were more a threat to her than the wolf was. She glanced over her shoulder to Grumpy while moving further up the bank. He followed her step for step. 

"He's not a thing," she said. Her feet stepped onto her dress. She glanced at the arrow wielding man again before slowly lowering to grab the purple material. "And put your weapons away, please! We're not a threat to you, I promise." The dress was pulled up even as her eyes never left the men. There were about eight men standing on the opposite bank all pointing weapons at her. She slipped into the dress without her undergarments. 

"We're not aimin' at you!" A bright red haired man yelled. She eyed him as she zipped up the dress the best she could. What even was going on right now? 

"I beg to differ! Grumpy is behind me, which makes you aiming at him aiming at me. Just put them away!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the men. Several of them shared questioning looks before lowering their weapons. She looked to the one wielding the bow to see him stick the arrow back in his quiver. With a nod she turned around to finish helping Grumpy. 

There was muttering going on behind her as she wrapped the last of her cloak around Grumpy's body.


	4. A New Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being the daughter of a king was probably thought to be a glorious thing. It was, but not when you were a danger to yourself. Ophelia wasn't allowed outside the palace to keep her safe but longed for nothing more than to see the world like her brother got to do freely. Maybe a group of dwarves would give her that chance?

The first time it happened Ophelia was only three. She didn't remember what happened but her mother used to go on about her disappearance. That turned into disappearances that she soon would be able to never forget. It hadn't even been a big deal when she was still young. It was written off as her being a sneaky child and wanting to join her older brother. Who was older than her by almost three hundred years and well passed the age of spending all his time indoors. No one understood what was really happening until she was ten. 

It was supposed to be a nice day at the beginning of summer. Ophelia was out with her father in a small clearing near the palace entrance. Legolas, her brother, was off with their mother on a trip to Imladris, which left her and their father. They sat in the grass while he talked about the forest around them. She picked at the new grass and held up bugs that caught her attention. A butterfly fluttered past that had her getting to her feet. There was a soft warning for her to not wander off as she took after the blue insect. It flew around the clearing for a few moments before making for the trees. To which she followed. 

"Ophelia-" her father's voice disappeared along with the forest around her. Wide blue eyes stared at the towering buildings made of something she didn't know. Her feet came to a stop as she looked around. This wasn't the forest. Ophelia peered up the shining buildings with wonder and reached her hand up like she would be able to reach them. Then something moved around her and caught her attention. Several people walked past her like they didn't see her. They were dressed funny and looked nothing like the elves she'd seen around the palace. Something bumped into her back and sent her stumbling forward into someone. There was barely pause for the person to give her a look of disgust before carrying on. 

A hand landed on her shoulder and turned her around. She stared at the person crouched in front of her and listened to the gibberish they spoke. When she said she didn't understand the person frowned. Then the person was standing and pulling her through the other people. At first she followed but then she remembered that her father didn't want her going with anyone other than him or the maids. She struggled out of the person's hand and backed away. Something made her heart beat faster and sweat gather on her palms like never before. Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked around for her father. He had to be around somewhere. Her hands curled in her dress as she backed up farther. She slipped on something and fell backwards as a loud noise assaulted her ears. 

"Ada!" Her cry was answered by hands catching her. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she turned around in her father's arms to cry into his chest. He did his best to soothe her as she trembled. Soft words were whispered in her ear while he lifted her up. It wasn't until they were back within their rooms in the palace that Ophelia had calmed down enough to tell him what happened. He didn’t quite believe what she said but they couldn't deny what had happened. She had disappeared into thin air and after a couple minutes of frantic looking she popped back up crying. Something had happened, they just didn't know what. 

The next few times ended much the same. With Ophelia being scared of what she saw and running crying to her father. Her and Legolas’ mother died not three years after the incident. For years that's how it went until she got old enough to really understand what was happening. She didn't quite know what it was or why it happened but she hardly felt the need to run crying to her father anymore. Not that it stopped her from telling everything to him and Legolas. Though her brother only rolled his eyes and wrote her off. Their father still took the time to listen to her but there was nothing he could do to help. None of them knew why it was happening nor how to stop it. She had just learned how to deal with it. 

Going out into the forest was mostly forbidden but that didn’t stop her from escaping the palace. Ophelia jumped through the tree branches with Legolas in a chase against a nest of spiders he was to be clearing out. The spiders had turned away from them and chased after something else, which they too turned to follow. She caught onto the sounds of a fight below and looked down to find several dwarves battling against the spiders. Not waiting for Legolas to give an order she caught a strand of web. A dagger was out that she used to cut down a spider going after one of the dwarves from the side. Something of a cry came from the dwarf in front of her at the quick appearance of herself. Wide brown eyes looked up to her with fear. She pulled her dagger out of the spider’s body and turned to give the dwarf a small grin. He was kind of adorable. All knitted sweaters and gloves covered in spider web. Even down to the odd hair style and the small braids hanging down by his ears.

She went to say something when a hand grabbed the back of her neck. Legolas pulled her away from the dwarf and by the glare on his face she knew he was pissed. The angry chastisement for not waiting for his order only had her huffing and batting his hand away from her. He was too strict sometimes, like their father. While it got on her nerves she understood why they were like that with her. She was a danger to herself. When he left her while giving orders to the others she moved back towards the dwarf she had saved. One of the other dwarves was whispering to him but she couldn’t make out what was being said, even though she tried to listen. 

“Do you have any weapons on you?” Her voice startled the two dwarves into looking up at her. When neither of them answered she carried on. “We need to search you before entering the palace. Precaution.”

“No, Miss.” The one she had saved spoke up before the one with the odd star hair could say anything. She turned her blue gaze to the other one and waited for him to answer. 

“No.” She knew he was lying, she could see the hilt of a knife tucked away in his coat. Before she could point it out her brother was shouting to her.

“This isn’t your job. Get back to the palace.” Legolas turned another glare on her when she didn’t move. “Now, so I can watch out for you.” The implication that she could disappear while walking only made her sigh. It was a very real possibility. She nodded to him before walking off towards the palace.

Legolas had been right to send her on ahead. The second her foot stepped onto the stone bridge she was gone. Ophelia stopped herself short of stepping out into a busy street. It was a familiar scene to her. She turned away from the moving carts to look around the area she found herself. Buildings towered over her made of the same metal material that she could never name and people moved along like she wasn’t there. After so many times she knew not to panic and just chose a direction to walk in. People moved around her and she stepped out of their way. Noise assaulted her ears that she had a hard time blocking out but she had grown used to it. She took a turn down a smaller street with less moving carts and carried on down the path towards a different turn. Nothing really surprised her about the space she found herself. More often than not it was the same type of area with big buildings and loud moving carts. She stepped out of the way of a lady with a smaller cart and couldn’t help looking inside when she moved past. A baby was bundled up inside. Wide gray eyes looked up at her and a chubby hand pointed up at her. Just as the mother stopped and turned to look in Ophelia’s direction she disappeared again. Back on the same bridge with the same guards watching for her.

“This is why I told you to go on ahead.” Legolas’ voice startled her into turning. He was coming up behind her with the group of dwarves and elves trailing him. There was an order for her to go to their father that had her rolling her eyes but complying with.

King Thranduil was never hard to find. Their father was either in his rooms, the throne room, or his alcove near the kitchens. It was actually her alcove but he had been the one to show it to her; it used to be where he stayed when he was young. But she found him in the throne room. He must have gotten word of her disappearance and the dwarves showing up because he was more alert than usual. Not to say he wasn’t alert usually, it was just that nothing really happened in the palace. Ophelia hopped up the stairs to the throne and plopped down on the arm next to him. Her legs were crossed under her and she balanced where she was. It was a skill she learned when she was younger as a way to stay right next to her father.

“Where did you go this time?” The question was asked while slim fingers brushed through the knots in her hair. It had always been clear to her and Legolas that she was their father’s favorite, despite him trying to prove otherwise to them. After their mother died Legolas distanced himself from their father, for she was always his favorite parent, while Ophelia didn’t really remember their mother. She was raised by their father and that’s all she knew.

“Just a city. It smelled better than the usual ones but still just as loud. I had a baby point at me as well.” Which probably had to do with her clothing and long hair. Hair that was being pulled away from her face and twisted into a small braid that fell over the rest of the long strands. She didn’t like cutting it. 

“This is why I don’t want you leaving the palace. You know what happens.” It was far too dangerous for her, she knew that. But that didn’t stop her need to see the rest of the world. To see what was beyond the borders of Mirkwood and get out of the palace.

“But if Legolas goes with me, then there’s no problem. He can stay with me if I disappear.” Ophelia turned to look at her father to find a cool look in his eyes. “Come on! It’s a good plan.”

“Your brother has more important things to do than babysit you.” Thranduil stood up and put a hand on the top of her head. She looked up to him with a pout edging on her lips. “You are kept safe here.” At her increasing pout he sighed. “Go check on the dwarves and bring Oakenshield to me.”

“Of course!” She hopped up from the throne and dropped to the step next to her father. It wasn’t a surprise that she only reached his shoulder; from what she knew her mother was on the shorter side as well. Legolas almost rivaled their father in height but even he was a couple inches shorter. “Save some wine for me.” 

There was a short reply that she only nodded to as she jumped down the stairs. Her father sighed but didn’t call her out on her recklessness anymore. She travelled through the winding halls down to the caverns holding the cells without disappearing thankfully. When she reached the cells she passed her brother and Tauriel but neither said anything to her. It wasn’t a surprise. She didn’t associate with the Captain of the Guard and her brother liked to ignore her most of the time. The shouts and yells of the dwarves reached her ears that she blocked out. Her hair bounced down her back as she skipped steps on her way to Thorin Oakenshield’s cell. When she reached it she gave the dwarf a grin and went to open the door when she realized she never grabbed the keys. With a finger held up to him she disappeared back to where she saw her brother, even as the dwarf asked a question. 

“Keys.” She held her hand out to Legolas with a bright grin. “Father sent me to get Oakenshield.” The older elf stared at her for a moment before taking the set of keys off his belt loop. It was clear he was about to hand them off to the Keeper of the Keys. 

“Take one of the guards with you.” Legolas called after her as she went down the stairs again. A guard heard him and was quick to follow after her. When she got back to dwarf king’s cells she jangled the keys for him to see.

“You’re meeting the King.” She said while fitting the correct key into the lock. The dwarf made a noise of disgust that had her looking down at him. “I know you don’t like him. He’s not overly fond of you either.” The guard next to her gave her a look that told her to shut up, which she ignored. She walked ahead of the dwarf and expected him to follow. He did with the insistence of the guard. “I heard about what happened with Erebor and King Thror when he came back. Not that he would tell me much.”

“No, I wouldn’t expect so. To speak with an elf maid about such matters.” Oakenshield scoffed at the thought but it only had Ophelia laughing. 

“Who said was I an elf maid?” She looked over her shoulder to give the dwarf a grin before continuing on a straight path. They were close to the throne room now and had her skipping steps again. On the platform below the throne her father stood watching her with careful eyes. She went to skip a step when her toes caught on the edge and sent her tumbling across the platform to skid to a stop in front of her father. 

“Slow down next time, Ophelia. You know how to walk.” He bent down to catch her arm and helped her to her feet. “You were taught how.”

“Sorry.” She brushed off her tunic and pants before jangling the keys at him like a prize. To which he took from her and held out to the guard coming up the platform with Oakenshield.

“Make sure she doesn’t find them.” At her protest Thranduil turned a glare on her. She wilted under his gaze. They both knew if she had the keys would let all of the dwarves go. “I don’t want you back down there.”

“But-”

“No. You are to stay away from the cells.” Ophelia crossed her arms and glared up at her father to match the cold look he was giving her. Then she turned away and made her way up to the throne to sulk in peace. Thranduil closed his eyes and no doubt prayed for strength to deal with his daughter. She knew she was a pain. But that didn’t stop her from wanting to do her own thing for once in her life. With her legs curled underneath and her chin dropped on a hand she watched her father turn to face Oakenshield. Then proceeded to watch the bickering between them. When Oakenshield refused Thranduil’s help she only sighed and hopped up to her feet again. Her father stalked up the steps for the throne and she wanted nothing to do with his bad mood at the moment.

Despite her father’s order Ophelia found herself down in the caverns. She wanted to find that adorable dwarf again. Oakenshield had been brought back to his cell some time ago, so she assumed it was safe enough for her travel down that way. The dwarves had mostly given up on trying to break out of the cells and were talking amongst themselves. Ophelia followed the sound of the voice she only heard once. Most of the cells were empty thankfully so it wasn’t hard to spot the dwarf through the cell bars. The dwarf was in a cell with an older dwarf she didn’t remember seeing. She bounded down the stairs toward the cell and barely caught his surprised face before she disappeared.

Something loud cracked overhead. Ophelia ducked her head as rain soaked her and thunder rumbled in the sky. She rubbed water out of her eyes to take in where she showed up. It was an open field. Dark storm clouds covered the sky but it was clear that it wasn’t night with the sliver of light on the horizon. Wind whipped her hair back while pushing the tall grass over. A loud roar had her covering her ears and looking for the noise. Her eyes caught sight of the shifting clouds in the distance. They were forming a funnel. She stumbled back a step while keeping her gaze on the swirling clouds coming down from the sky towards the ground. The wind was so loud her ears were ringing even with her hands covering them. Something caught her foot and sent her falling back. She landed on hard stone as the roaring wind and rain disappeared in favor of the palace caverns. Her clothes were soaked and stuck to her skin while her hair puddled on the floor. With ringing ears she wiped the water off her face to open her eyes. To come face to face with the concerned brown eyes of the dwarf she had come to see. He was right at the edge of the cell and saying something to her that she couldn’t hear.

“I can’t...I can’t hear you.” She rubbed at her ears with her words. The dwarf stopped talking and looked over his shoulder at whoever else was in the cell with him. When noise started to filter in around the ringing she heard Tauriel’s voice.

“Ophelia?” The face of the Captain of the Guard appeared in front of her. “Do I need to get King Thranduil or Legolas?” 

“No, no, I’m fine.” Ophelia gathered up her long hair and squeezed out the water. Tauriel offered her hand that she waved off, she was fine on the floor. “I’ll tell Father later. I’m not supposed to be down here.” She looked up at the older elf with a small grin.

“One of these days he is not going to be so forgiving. It would best to listen to his orders instead of disregarding them all the time.” They both knew she wasn’t going to listen to her. Tauriel sighed and turned to walk away. “I won’t tell them you’re down here.” Ophelia gave her a thank you that went ignored as the Captain disappeared up the stairs.

“Are you alright?” The voice of the dwarf next to her had her looking over. He was still on his knees behind the bars watching her. 

“Perfectly fine. It happens all the time.” She gave him a grin and twisted around to face him. Her fingers brushed through her wet hair as she carried on. “It’s not this bad usually. I’ve done it twice in a matter of hours today when it’s usually once a day.”

“What is it?” 

“I don’t know. It’s been happening since I was a babe.” With a shrug she tugged her fingers through a tangle. It caused the dwarf to wince for her. “Father tried figuring it out some time ago but we stopped really looking when.” She cut herself off before she could spill the truth. They had stopped because Thranduil could no longer look. His old injuries had acted up one night and she panicked when trying to help. They both disappeared that night. She pulled him along with her and landed them both waist deep in someone else’s war. It made it so her father could no longer see out of his left eye. “Doesn’t really matter anyway.”

“Where do you go? You sort of disappear,” the dwarf asked. Ophelia looked up from her hair to give him a grin.

“I move worlds. Or at least that’s what I’ve figured. Some of the things I’ve seen have no other explanation.” And some of them never deserved to be thought of again. She shook away the dark thoughts to finish brushing out her hair. “I tried to draw what I saw once but I could never capture the uniqueness of it. Buildings taller than trees made of glass and metal. Water that spread out farther than the eye could see. Languages that I never learned how to speak.” She sighed at the beautiful sights she had seen. Some places really were something else.

“And just now? Where did you go?” There was a curious gleam in the dwarf’s eyes that she had never seen in anyone else she spoke with about her disappearances. It seemed as though he really wanted to know about what she has seen.

“A field. There was a storm unlike any I’ve ever seen here. Dark clouds covering the sky and wind fiercer than those on a mountain. It was so loud.” She pulled her hands away from her hair to use them as she talked. “And then the clouds started moving. They rolled over each other and started mixing together in a dark mass. Then the weirdest thing happened. The wind got louder and the rain harsher, and I watched as the clouds left the sky. A curving funnel of them touched the ground.” Her hands were used to demonstrate the funnel she had seen. The dwarf watched her with wide eyes and listened to her with rapt attention. “That wasn’t the first time I’ve seen something like that either. I saw one form over water.”

“But what is it? It almost sounds like a hurricane. But I’ve only read about them.” 

“Hm, kind of. I’ve seen one of those actually. I don’t recommend it.” She laughed and the dwarf joined in. A hurricane was actually pretty close to what she had seen just without the water. “You know, I don’t know your name? I’m Ophelia.”

“Oh.” The dwarf gave her sheepish grin. “Ori, at your service.” He gave her a small bow at the end of his words. 

“Well, Ori, it’s nice to meet you.”

For the next hour or two Ophelia sat on the ground talking with Ori; even after the other dwarves told them to shut up. She eventually had to leave but only because Tauriel came back for her. It was well into the night and with the party going on above she was just going to call it a night and go to bed. But then she caught sight of her father walking towards the upper trees of the palace. There was a bottle of wine in one hand and a glass half full in the other. She turned away from her room to join his side, and steal the glass from his hand. He turned a disapproving look at her but didn’t reach for it back. They carried on in relative silence up to the highest point of the trees where they sat among the leaves and watched the stars. She knew he was thinking about her mother. This was her favorite time of the year according to Legolas; their father never speaks of her. Legolas followed in her footsteps and used to tell her all about the shifting of seasons, from fall to winter to spring to summer. He and their mother enjoyed the shift of fall to winter. Their father liked going from summer to fall while she loved watching the snow melt to let spring come through.

“Do you think my disappearances will ever stop?” Her voice was soft so as to not disturb the quiet of the forest around them. Thranduil didn’t look away from the stars to answer her.

“No, I don’t think they will. They seem to be only getting stronger.” He held his hand for the wine glass she still held. When she put it in his hand he carried on talking. “Tauriel told me about your other disappearance today.”

“That’s what I was going to tell you. That’s twice in one day when it’s only been one for so long. They were shorter than usual though.” She twisted her hair in her hands while turning back to the stars. “Will more happen during a day?”

“It’s possible.” The wine glass was handed back to her half full. She accepted it and sipped on the wine with a small frown. “This is why you must stay here. For your safety.”

“I know, but I hate it. I want to see the world, father! Visit the mountains and Imladris, see the Shire and find the sea. There’s more beyond our borders, more that I need to see.” Her father sighed and had her looking over at him. His eyes turned from the sky to meet hers. There was a resigned gleam in his that made her wary.

“Should you find a willing traveling companion that will not leave your side, you may explore Arda.” Before her excitement could get the best of her, Thranduil carried on. “They must not leave without you, Ophelia. And should you find someone, you will bring them to me first.”

“Of course!” She jumped up on her branch and leaped over to the one he was sitting on to give him a hug. He caught the wine glass before it spilled over his robes but held her with his other. “Oh, thank you, thank you. I’ll find someone willing, I promise.” When she pulled away she found him finishing off the wine in the glass. She dropped down next to him with a grin. 

“This is going to be a decision I regret,” Thranduil muttered. Ophelia only gave her father a nudge with her shoulder but didn’t disagree. She had stayed by his side for almost her entire life unlike Legolas. The one time she left the borders of their kingdom ended in disaster and she had been stuck inside the palace for nearly two hundred years. With her father’s blessing she was finally going to see the rest of the world. And she might not know of anyone yet, she knew her brother would say yes to her eventually if she asked enough times.


End file.
